All I Want For Christmas
by Becks7
Summary: It's Christmas on Hope Island. The Eco-Villains have ruined the Planeteers plans of going home. Wheeler takes it upon himself to make the holiday special for everyone...but will he get everything that he wants?
1. Just Like The Ones I Used To Know

Merry Christmas everyone! My present to you, a Planeteer Christmas.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not making money, just trying to spread some Christmas cheer!

* * *

_**All I Want for Christmas**_

_Chapter 1: Just Like the Ones I Used To Know_

The Geo Cruiser lands and the five tired Planeteers climb out.

"I can't believe that in all of our years as Planeteers, this is the first time those Eco-monsters have ever done anything so close to Christmas. I don't know what makes me more angry…them clear cutting that entire forest and claiming they were running a legitimate Christmas tree selling business, or the fact that they cut into our Christmas break and now none of us can go home," Wheeler gripes.

"You had your chance to go home. Kwame asked if you wanted us to drop you off since we were already in America. You chose not to and now we do not want to hear you complain about it Yankee!" Linka says crabbily.

"I'm not complaining about not being at home…I'm disappointed for the rest of you. I know it's not often we get a chance to go home…which is why I decided to stay with you guys. It wouldn't have been fair if I got to go home and no one else did...especially since out of all of us, I'm probably the the one that was least excited about going home."

"Oh," she says, now feeling guilty for snapping at him.

"Besides, I'd rather spend Christmas with you guys. This is my home and my family just as much as my _real_ home and family…if not more so."

Trying to defuse the always present tension between Wheeler and Linka and to ease some of the awkwardness, Gi says,

"I just want to take a nap and catch up on some sleep."

"Sounds good to me," Ma-Ti agrees.

"Me too," Kwame says.

The three of them head towards their cabins, leaving Wheeler and Linka behind.

"What about you Yankee? Not going to go relax?" Linka asks.

"Nah…I've got too much work to do."

"Work? What work?" She asks.

"Just because we're not going home for Christmas doesn't mean I'm not going to celebrate it! I've got some serious shopping to do! We need decorations, a tree, lights, cookies, a ham, potatoes, rolls…all the fixings."

"Where do you plan on getting those things?"

"The store…where else?" He asks as he climbs back into the Geo Cruiser.

"Do you want help?" She offers as she climbs onto the wing, ready to get in. "It is Christmas Eve; it is going to be a mad house at the stores!"

"Nah, I got it covered."

"Oh…are you sure?"

"Positive…but I'd love the company if you wanna join me."

Not wanting to seem too eager, Linka tries to cover.

"Well, I slept on the ride home, so I am not as tired as the others…and it would be boring if I were the only one awake on the island…so I might as well go with you…and besides, I need to make sure you get all the right food."

"Ok Babe, you can come along and babysit me! And I think it would be great if you picked up some things to make some Russian dishes."

"You do?"

"Yeah…it might not look appetizing, but it always smells good and tastes great!"

"Thanks…I think."

"Kinda the opposite of you…you always look good. Smell good…guess I'll have to buy a lot of mistletoe to find out how you taste," he says with a wink.

"Wheeler! Behave or you will be shopping alone."

"Just joking," he says as he powers up the Geo Cruiser and takes off. "Sort of…"

* * *

When Wheeler and Linka arrive back on Hope Island, they put their groceries away and then put up the decorations they bought.

"Looks good Yankee!"

"Yeah, I guess. Not much left to choose from as far as decorations go…but that's to be expected when you do your decoration shopping on Christmas Eve!"

"Da…still…you did well with what you got."

"Thanks."

"Well, it is late…I am going to go to bed unless you need more help," she says.

"No…I'm just about done. Go to sleep. Rest up. Big party tomorrow."

"Da…ok. You too. Get your rest…you know you are going to have to wake up before noon to start cooking Christmas dinner!"

"Yeeeeeeees, dear," Wheeler says jokingly as he dramatically rolls his eyes. "And Babe…?"

She stops in the doorway to see what he wants.

"Thanks for all your help tonight."

"You are welcome. It was really thoughtful of you to want to do this for everyone. Good idea."

Wheeler smiles and nods.

"See ya in the morning. G'night Babe."

"Goodnight Yankee."

Once she's gone, he sets out on putting up the finishing touches. He'd bought a stocking for each of the Planeteers, and even Suchi. He uses a silver paint pen to write each of their names on a stocking, and then he fills each of them with something relevant to each Planeteer. Bananas for Suchi, packets of seeds for Kwame's garden, a box of animal crackers for Ma-Ti, and gummy fish for Gi. Linka was more difficult to buy for…the others' stocking stuffers were cheap and meant to be funny. He couldn't think of anything funny to get her. He wanted hers to be special. He was looking through the music section at the store…a CD? Nah, those are kinda obsolete now. Did she have an MP3 player? That was a little out of his price range for a stocking stuffer. Then it hit him when he saw a certain CD…what he wanted to get her couldn't be bought at a store.

Back to the present time, Wheeler pulls the piece of paper that he'd printed from the internet out of his pocket and slides it into Linka's stocking. He really hopes she likes it. He has a good feeling about it, but isn't sure how she'll react to it. It might seem like too much, but that's what he wanted. He wanted her to know that while he put thought into everyone's stocking stuffers, he put A LOT of thought into hers.

His last task for the night was to hang all the mistletoe he bought…it was worth a shot. He hung it in every door way, above the couch, above the tree where they'd all be opening their gifts, and above the snack table where he'd be setting out the cookies and drinks. One way or another, he'd catch her under the mistletoe. After all, with five sprigs of it throughout the room, the odds were in his favor.

"Maybe this is the year I _**finally**_ get what I want for Christmas," Wheeler says as he takes one last look around the room before turning off the light and heading to his cabin to sleep.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	2. May Your Days Be Merry And Bright

Thanks for all the reviews. Glad everyone is enjoying it.

* * *

_Chapter 2: May Your Days Be Merry and Bright_

Wheeler wakes up earlier than usual on Christmas morning so he can begin cooking. Linka soon joins him in the kitchen.

"You are up before me?!"

"Yep, this ham ain't gonna cook itself!"

"Will I be in your way if I start preparing my dishes?" She asks.

"Nah, we can work around each other…and if we happen to bump into each other, then so be it…" He leans in close to her, intentionally invading her personal space.

Instead of being intimidated by his closeness, she smacks his arm playfully!

"Ow! What?! I'm just sayin'…you're tiny, you can't hurt me!"

"Then why did you just say 'ow' after I BARELY touched you?"

She folds her arms and quirks an eyebrow at him, waiting for his reply.

"It was my feelings that were hurt more than anything…and I was shocked that someone who's supposed to be a law abiding citizen would assault me for no good reason," he pouts, still rubbing his arm where she hit him.

"Ooooh, I had a reason…you always give me reasons! You are lucky you do not get hit more often!"

He chuckles, knowing that she's only joking…mostly.

Knowing that their time was limited, Linka drops the subject and gets to work on her cooking.

"I cannot reach the casserole dishes; will you get one down for me?"

"You got it Babe…Merry Christmas by the way…here ya go."

"Spasiba…and Merry Christmas to you as well."

"Did you check under the tree?"

"Nyet," she replies, shaking her head.

"What do you mean?! That's the first thing you're supposed to do on Christmas morning!"

"It was…when I was a little girl!"

"Well, little girl…go check your stocking!"

His smile grows bigger when he sees the surprise and excitement grow.

"Stocking? Wheeler…?!" She gets a big smile on her face and feels like a kid again, the excitement of Christmas morning is filling her once more, just as it used to years ago.

"Go on," he says as he stops what he's doing and shoos her out the door towards the commons area.

* * *

"Oh Wheeler! You were busy after I left you last night!" She says as she notices the stockings hanging on the wall behind the TV.

"Nah, it's no big deal…we didn't have a fireplace to hang them by, sooooooo," he grabs the TV remote and clicks it on. After the pressing of a few buttons, the image of a fire place with burning logs shows up on the screen. "Can you believe they actually sell a DVD like this? Hours of nothing but a fire in a fireplace!"

"Nice touch Yankee! You really did think of everything."

"Sure did…go ahead…check out what Wheeler Claus stuffed your stocking with."

"Should we not wait for the others?" She asks.

"They snooze, they lose. They'll get theirs when they wake up. It's only stockings…we'll hold off on the actual presents until the others get up."

"Ok," she says as she grabs her stocking, reaches inside, and pulls out a folded piece of paper.

"Oh, Wheeler…you shouldn't have," she says sarcastically.

He rolls his eyes at her.

"Open it smartass!"

She unfolds it and begins reading. Her eyes widen and her mouth drops as she gasps,

"The Trans Siberian Orchestra?!"

"Hope you don't have plans for tomorrow night."

"I do now! I have wanted to see them for years, but have always been so busy with the Planeteers and didn't have anyone to go with."

"Well, now you've got time and two tickets."

"But who should I take?" She asks, knowing full well who she's taking, but wanting to make him squirm.

"Well, umm…" Wheeler nervously scratches his head. He thought it was obvious that he'd be the one taking her…but now he guesses it wasn't so clear. "Whoever you want I guess. And since it was kinda last minute, I didn't have the actual tickets, so the best I could do was to print out a flyer for the show. You can pick up the tickets at the 'Will Call' line."

"Will I need anything else?"

"I put them in your name, so just a photo ID…and maybe my credit card…I'll be sure to give it to you before you go…"

"Ok," she says, trying to keep a straight face, but at the same time, also feeling bad at how hurt he actually was. "Wheeler…what is in your stocking?"

"Uh, nothing…it'd be pretty lame if I put something in my own stocking…I just hung it up there for uniformity…so we'd all be represented."

"I see…what is that table for over there?" She says as she points.

Wheeler looks to see what she's pointing at.

"Oh that…that's where I was gonna set out the cookies on some platters and the punch bowl and some 'special' hot chocolate."

"_Special_ hot chocolate?"

"Yeah, add a shot of Peppermint Schnapps…minty hot chocolate," he winks.

"Alcohol in hot chocolate?!"

"What? We're not kids anymore! Live a little Babe…it's Christmas!"

"Hmm," she says in consideration. "Oh Wheeler…it looks like Santa did remember to put something in your stocking after all."

"Huh?"

She hands the stocking to him and he reaches inside, pulling out the same folded piece of paper that had been in her stocking.

"Did you just re-gift?" He teases.

"It was my understanding that I had two tickets…one to give. I am giving it to you."

"Cool…I mean…thank you. I'd love to join you."

"Good…then it is settled."

"Good."

Wheeler starts to walk away, back to the kitchen.

"Wheeler?"

"Yeah?" He says as he turns around to face her.

"Thank you," she says as she walks towards him and hugs him. "I'm really excited about this show."

"You're welcome," he says as he wraps his arms around her and hugs her in return. "I'm really looking forward to it too."

He then looks up…how fortunate! He stopped in the doorway, right under the mistletoe and it wasn't even intentional!

"Uhh, Linka…?"

"Da?" She says as she lifts her head from his shoulder to see what he wants.

He looks up, and she follows his gaze.

"Oh nyet! You tricked me!"

"Hey! You were the one that stopped me! I was on my way out the door! Must be fate," he replies as he drops his hands from around her and holds them up, pleading his innocence.

"It is a silly tradition. Probably started by a desperate man!"

"It's bad luck if you catch someone under the mistletoe and don't kiss them!" He says. He doesn't even know if that's true, but it sounds good.

She sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Fine."

"Really?!" He asks excitedly, his grin spreading.

"If it will shut you up, I will do anything!"

"Well, that's not very romantic, but I'll take what I can get!"

Wheeler puckers up, preparing for a kiss, a kiss which he gets when Suchi hands down from the ceiling and plants one on Wheeler.

"EWW YUCK!!!" He shouts as he wipes his lips. "SUCHI!!! YOU LITTLE…"

Linka's laughter drowns out his next words as Suchi climbs over her shoulder and hides behind her back.

"What is wrong Yankee? You got your kiss under the mistletoe…no bad luck. Problem solved."

"Keep that little hairball away from me. I probably got some kinda monkey disease now!"

"I can guarantee that Suchi is probably cleaner than you!"

"I'm sorry I got him his own stocking. He doesn't deserve it," Wheeler says as he walks over to the stocking and takes if off the wall.

"WHEELER! Put that back! Shame on you! You are acting like a child who did not get their way. He was just trying to be funny."

Wheeler gives up and puts Suchi's stocking back.

"Fine. I don't have time to deal with him anyway. I got a dinner to make. Enjoy your bananas Suchi…don't choke on them."

Wheeler leaves the room and Suchi comes out from hiding.

"Do not worry Suchi, I have a feeling he is more upset with me than he is with you," Linka says as she pats Suchi on the head.

* * *

Linka rejoins Wheeler in the kitchen, both of them working in silence as they prepare their food.

The others wake up and let their noses lead them to the kitchen.

"What is going on?" Ma-ti asks.

"Smells good in here!" Kwame adds.

"Looks like mom and dad are making a Christmas dinner for the family!" Gi jokes.

"So where are the presents?" Ma-Ti asks.

"In the commons room," Wheeler says flatly.

"Seriously?!" Gi squeals in delight.

"Did you two plan this all?" Kwame asks.

"Nyet, it was Wheeler's idea…I just did what I could to help…but he did much more than I ever expected."

"When did you have the time to put this together?" Ma-Ti asks.

"Last night, when we got back from the mission and everyone else went to sleep. We took the Cruiser to the mainland and got some supplies. I just gotta put this in the oven for a few hours. What'd ya say we go into the common's room and see what Santa brought?!"

Ma-Ti holds his grumbling stomach and says,

"I need breakfast first. Just let me grab some toast or something."

"That's what the cookies are for little buddy! A whole table full of them!"

"You made cookies?!" Gi asks.

"No, I BOUGHT cookies," Wheeler clarifies as he leads them into the commons area.

The Planeteers walk into the room and are amazed.

"Oh wow, you two! It looks fantastic," Kwame says.

"Stockings! Look! We all have our own stockings!" Ma-Ti says. "Can we look in them?"

"What makes you think there's anything in them?" Wheeler teases.

"Oh…uh…"

"I'm kidding Ma-Ti…dig in!"

The others all grab their stockings and pull out their presents, each one laughing and thanking Wheeler for the gift.

"Where's yours Linka?" Gi asks.

"Oh, uh…I opened it earlier…I could not wait."

"And…? What'd you get?!"

"I uh…" she hesitates, not wanting the others to know how much more extravagant her gift was compared to hers.

"Bird seed…to attract her feathered friends," Wheeler covers for her, also not wanting the others to feel slighted over their less expensive stocking stuffers.

Linka smiles at him to let him know she's appreciative of his quick thinking.

"And look, they've even got their presents under the tree already! We should go get ours and put them there to make it look nice and full!" Ma-Ti says.

"Good idea," Kwame agrees.

"We'll be right back," Gi adds.

They exit the room, leaving Wheeler and Linka alone.

"That was quick thinking," she says.

"Yeah, well…I didn't want them to feel bad that their stocking stuffers were pretty crappy compared to yours."

"They were still thoughtful…and cute," she says with a flirtatious smile.

"Thanks…want some hot chocolate?"

"Sure…but it is too early for the Peppermint Schnapps…maybe later?"

"Yeah, I agree."

Wheeler walks over to the table where a large carafe of hot chocolate sat and he poured some into a mug for her, then poured himself one.

"Mini marshmallows?" He offers.

"Nyet, I should not."

"Aww, come on Babe…it's the holidays…over consume…you can always work it off later."

She raises an eye brow at him and he's shocked at what she thinks he's implying.

"Umm, going for a walk on the beach after dinner perhaps?"

"That sounds nice…no 'white Christmas' so we'll have to settle for white sands!"

"Yeah," he agrees, trying to play it cool to hide the fact that he's thrilled at the prospect of going for a walk on the beach with her.

She happens to glance up and sees another sprig of mistletoe.

"Bozhe moy Wheeler! You put it everywhere!"

"Where's that damn monkey?"

Linka is just about to stretch up to give him a kiss when the others enter the room with their gifts, causing her to jump and move away from him, pretending to be making herself a plate of cookies to sample.

"What is it that Santa says?" Ma-Ti asks.

"Ho ho ho," Gi says. "Oh Wheeler! You're under the mistletoe! Merry Christmas!" She says as she walks past him and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Wheeler sighs in frustration.

"Thanks Gi."

Linka looks away, trying to hide her disappointment. No need to give him a kiss since it's already been done.

"What do we do now?" Kwame asks.

"We open presents," Wheeler says, a little less than enthusiastic.

They all sit down in front of the tree and begin passing out presents. Wheeler and Linka are both trying to hide the fact that they're disappointed. The friendly banter and exchanging of gifts helps make it easier.

Wheeler and Linka are the last to exchange their gifts, Wheeler giving Linka her gift first.

"I uh…if you don't like it…I can get you something else…take you shopping and you can pick out whatever you want," he says nervously.

"Hey guys, I uh, just remembered…I uh, have something I need your help with. Umm, something heavy that needs moved," Gi says, trying to give Wheeler and Linka some privacy.

The other two boys get the hint. Gi is in full on match maker mode. They are also eager for Wheeler and Linka to sort out their feelings. When Wheeler and Linka are happy, _EVERYONE_ is happy...when they're not, everyone is cautious, trying to avoid arguments and taking sides.

"Oh…umm, yes…of course Gi," Kwame says. "Come on Ma-Ti."

Once the others have gone, Linka says,

"I am sure I will like it…you did a good job with the present in my stocking."

Wheeler smiles and watches intently as she carefully removes the wrapping paper…an old newspaper of course. Gotta reuse and recycle.

She opens the box and gasps.

"OH WHEELER! It…it is beautiful…but it is too much. You should not have…"

"You don't like it?"

"Nyet, it is not that…I love it…but it must've cost a fortune."

"Nah, it wasn't that bad."

"It looks handmade…blue crystal?"

"Yep. Right on both counts."

"It almost looks like the sort of hand crafted jewelry that we have in Russia."

"Soviet Union actually…it's an antique...from the 1940s."

"Wheeler…I…this is too much."

"No, really Linka…it's not a big deal."

"But I…the present that I got you seems like nothing now in comparison," she says.

"I'll be the judge of that…so fork it over!"

She hands him the square box and waits as he opens it.

"It's…guitar sheet music! Uhh, thanks…if only I had my guitar here."

"Look behind the tree," she says.

Wheeler looks in the corner behind the tree to see an even bigger wrapped box hidden. He retrieves the box and unwraps it, although he already has a good idea of what it is.

"My guitar?! How'd you…?"

"I called your mother and asked her if she would send it. I arranged for the shipping and here it is."

"That's awesome! Thank you Babe!"

Wheeler starts tuning his guitar. He begins strumming notes as he perfects the strings and Linka watches the way his fingers deftly, yet softly move over the strings, admiring the work they are doing...wishing she knew the feeling of his touch.

Once he's satisfied with the sound of his "old friend," he sets the sheet music in front of him and after a quick review, he begins playing, but stops abruptly.

"What?" Linka asks.

"I don't recognize the song. What exactly am I playing?"

"Oh…uh, how silly of me…I forgot to explain. You must think I am foolish! Giving you sheet music and not explaining!"

"It's ok. I still think it's cool that you arranged for my mom to send my guitar! It feels so good to hold it again!"

She smiles at him and enjoys watching the way he's admiring his old guitar. Her thoughts are interrupted by Wheeler.

"Soooo…?"

"Huh?" She asks, coming back to the moment at hand.

"The music…what's it from?"

"Oh! Da, that! You do not recognize it because…_**I**_ wrote it."

"You did this?!"

"Da…I had some free time and was playing around on my keyboard and writing down music…but something was missing…I…_**it**_ needed accompaniment. I remembered our conversation about you having a guitar. Then I realized what I needed was you…errr, I mean…on guitar."

"Yeah…sure…on guitar," he says sadly as he continues playing the rest of the song.

"How'd it sound?" He asks once he's finished.

"Good."

"I'm a little rusty. I'll practice it."

"Nyet…honestly. For someone who has not played in so long, you did fine."

"Thanks…so, does this piece have words?"

"Nyet. I did not intend for it to."

"Oh…ok…an instrumental then? Cool."

There's an awkward silence before Linka speaks up.

"Umm, it could…have words if you think…"

"Nah, it's your piece. I was just curious."

"Maybe…" she trails off.

"'Maybe' what?"

"Maybe when we are putting our music together, maybe we will think of words."

"That'd be cool," he smiles at her.

When she returns his smile, he goes through the song again on his guitar.

"That was better," he says. "I can't wait to hear what it sounds like when we do it together."

"Da, me too," she as she stands up and holds the necklace out to him. "Will you put this on for me?"

"Sure."

He takes the necklace from her and stands behind her, moving her hair out of the way before clasping the necklace around her. He then turns her around so he can see her.

"How does it look?" She asks.

"Beautiful," he says as he brushes a piece of hair out of her face. "The necklace looks good too."

Another awkward silence falls between them. Linka looks up and notices yet another sprig of mistletoe above them. He really was trying his best. She wraps her arms around his neck and is pulling him down towards her when a movement in the corner of her eye catches her attention.

"SUCHI! NYET! MISTLETOE IS POISONOUS!" She yells as she chases after the money and tries to retrieve the mistletoe before he eats it.

Wheeler sighs and smacks his hand off his forehead.

"Just let him eat it!" He seethes through his teeth.

* * *

To Be Continued...

A/N: Thanks to LouiseX and Jimjamrn for the suggestions for ideas for Wheeler's gift...he's a hard one to shop for! Hope you found Linka's choice to be a good one!


	3. Where The Lovelight Gleams

_Christmas Eve Will Find Me Where the Lovelight Gleams_

The hours pass and the Planeteers spend them watching the traditional "A Christmas Story" marathon that Wheeler was telling them all about. They've also gotten around to trying some of Wheeler's Peppermint Schnapps flavored hot chocolate and are enjoying it immensely!

The ham is ready as are all the other dishes and the Planeteers are ready for their Christmas meal. Linka puts in a CD with Christmas carols for some atmosphere music. The meal is a big hit. Everything tastes as good as it looks and smells. They eat until they can not eat any more, wanting to try everything, even if it means stuffing themselves.

The boys have moved to the couches, making themselves as comfortable as possible, and are talking amongst themselves. Gi and Linka are still seated at the dinner table, sipping their glasses of wine and talking amongst themselves.

"So…I couldn't help but notice that pretty new necklace you've got on there," Gi gushes.

"Da," Linka says sadly.

"What's wrong? You don't like it?"

"Nyet, that is not it at all. I love it…it is just…"

"Just what? Too beautiful?"

"Too much. It is way more than what I spent on him! I just paid shipping from New York to here…this…this had to have cost him…well, there is no way he could afford this!"

"Maybe he's been saving?" Gi suggests.

"Da…ALL YEAR, if not longer!"

"So? It's his money…he can spend it anyway he wants," Gi quietly argues.

"Da, but do you know what a gift like this means?!"

"Umm…that he likes you! Duh!" Gi giggles and rolls her eyes at Linka's thickness.

"Gi! This is serious! How to I respond to this?"

"I think a 'thank you' will do…unless you had something else in mind…did you feel compelled to thank him in another way?" Gi leers.

"I almost kissed him."

Gi gasps in surprise and leans in closer, eager to hear all the details.

"Almost? What happened?!"

"Suchi almost ate mistletoe."

"So?"

"It is poisonous."

"Oh…I bet Wheeler wishes Suchi would've eaten it!"

"It was the second time Suchi interrupted us…he did not mean to the second time. He did not know…" Linka says regretfully, shaking her head...trying not to think about what might have been.

"Linka…this is obviously something you want…something you _BOTH_ want…you don't need the mistletoe…it's just an excuse and it'll make it seem…less real…like the only reason you kissed him was because of some stupid tradition, when we all know that you want to kiss him just as badly as he wants to kiss you. Just go for it Linka! What are you afraid of?!"

Linka thinks about it, but cannot honestly answer that question...just her usual excuses.

"I do not know…him not being serious…this all being a game."

"That's a really nice necklace for someone who's just playing a game!" Gi points out.

"Da…I guess you have a point."

"What you need is some alone time…uninterrupted. I'll make sure that happens tonight…consider that another present from me to you!"

"That is going to be a pretty impossible present to deliver! We are ALWAYS interrupted. Ever since we started with the Planeteers…something _ALWAYS_ happens to ruin it."

"Not tonight!" Gi promises.

"Well, we were planning on taking a walk on the beach after dinner…"

"Say no more! I'll make sure the boys AND the monkey stay behind."

"Thank you Gi."

"BUT…in return, I expect full details!"

The girls giggle and catch the boys' attention.

Wheeler catches Linka's eye and smiles at her, enjoying the sight of seeing her so happy. Her eyes light up when she smiles. He excuses himself from the guys and brings two glasses of punch over to the girls.

"Wheeler, are you trying to get us drunk?" Gi jokes.

"Who said there was anything in the punch?" He replies.

When Linka raises an eyebrow at him, he caves in.

"Ok…so there's a little rum in the punch…nothing major."

"Be right there Kwame!" Gi gets up, pretending that Kwame has just called her over.

Wheeler gives her a strange look and then turns his attention back to Linka.

"I think she's already had too much to drink! Kwame didn't say anything to her."

"Uh…da…he did…he waved her over…you just did not see."

"Hmm," he hums suspiciously.

"So…are we still on for that post-dinner walk?" She asks.

"Yeah! Absolutely!" He says as he holds out his hand to help her up. Then announces to the others "We're gonna step outside for a walk…work off some of that big meal."

"Great idea!" Kwame says.

Linka's eyes widen, but Gi gets everything under control.

"Uh, Kwame, don't you think maybe WE should be in charge of the clean up since Wheeler and Linka did all the cooking? It's only fair that you, me, and Ma-Ti do the dishes and put the food away. YOU TOO SUCHI!"

"Oh. Of course!" Kwame says, finally understanding what Gi was getting at. "Come Ma-Ti. I will wash the dishes if you dry."

* * *

Wheeler and Linka head towards the beach. He's still holding onto her hand.

"So is there anything you wanted but did not get this Christmas?" Linka asks.

"Just the usual…but there's still time for a Christmas miracle."

She looks at him, questioning his meaning.

"Snow," he says, covering what he really meant, not wanting to make things awkward between them. He just wanted to enjoy the opportunity for some alone time with her. "Other than that, this Christmas is almost perfect," Wheeler says.

She could tell he was hiding something. Snow wasn't the only thing he wanted for Christmas. There wouldn't have been so much mistletoe all over the place if all he wanted for Christmas was snow. She ignores it though, not wanting to ruin this rare moment to be alone with him.

"Dinner was delicious Yankee. Thank you for doing all this."

"My pleasure…I'm kinda glad we missed out on going home…this was fun."

"Da, I agree. It was great to have a nice dinner together…celebrate the holiday as a family…all of us."

"Yeah…but it wasn't just all my doing…you really helped a lot. So thank you."

"You are welcome."

"And just as I expected, your food tasted much better than it looked," he teases as he bumps her shoulder with his.

"And much to my surprise, your food tasted much better than I expected!" She retorts, bumping him in return.

"Hey, I'm full of surprises…just been waiting for you to find them."

Linka thought about what to say next, and nothing seemed appropriate. It was either too much, too revealing of her feelings…she wanted to let him know she felt something for him…she just wasn't sure how. Too much time was passing, she needed to say something, but all she could manage was a quiet,

"Ok."

_OK_. Wheeler found that simple statement to be very encouraging. At least it wasn't a "no" or "I don't like you like that Wheeler." OK meant she understood that he had a lot more to show her…to prove to her that there's more to him than the front that he puts on for everyone else.

"So at least this Christmas wasn't a total washout. And it was nice to actually get to exchange gifts with everyone instead of our usual hurried 'here ya go, have a safe trip' as we go our separate ways. It was nice seeing the look on everyone's face…especially yours," he says.

"Wheeler…" she says sadly as she looks down.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asks as he puts his finger under her chin to get her to look up at him.

"I…I love my necklace. It is beautiful but…I cannot keep it."

"What?! Why?!"

"It is too much. I…spent nearly nothing on your present…this necklace is worth so much and what I got you is worthless…I do not feel right accepting this."

Wheeler stops their walk, stands in front of her, and grabs her by the arms to make sure she's looking at him when he speaks and that he gets his point across.

"You're wrong. What you got me isn't worthless…it's worth more to me than any numbers on a price tag. You actually put thought into this…you took a song you wrote for piano and incorporated the guitar…for **_me_**. And then you CALLED MY MOM and had my guitar shipped here. That was huge. No one's ever done something like this for me. It really meant a lot. More than any other Christmas present I've ever gotten."

"And this necklace means a lot to me too, but…"

"It wasn't too much. As a matter of fact, it didn't cost me a dime."

"Did you…it is not…stolen?!"

"NO! God no! Geez, the 'tough guy from Brooklyn' act must really be working! You think I mugged an old lady and stole her necklace?!"

"Nyet, I…if it did not cost you anything…where did you get it? Did you find it?"

Wheeler dropped his hands from her arms and takes her hand again, resuming their walk as he explains to her.

"No, it was my grandmother's. My grandpa was stationed in the Soviet Union during World War II. He was there for what would've been him and my grandma's first Christmas together as a married couple. He felt awful about not being with her and missed her a lot. He was out with some friends, walking around Moscow, and he saw this in a shop. He said it reminded him of my Gram's eyes. He bought it and sent it to her for Christmas."

She looks down at the necklace and then back up at him.

"You must have your grandmother's eyes," she says, noting that the blue crystals were the exact shade of Wheeler's eyes.

He nods.

"People tell me that all the time. I was really young when she died, so I don't really remember much about her. My mom got the necklace after Gram died. The last time I went home, she gave it to me because she wanted me to have it…she said she had a feeling there was someone special in my life that I wasn't telling her about…I guess this was after you'd gotten in touch with her about having my guitar sent."

"I never said anything to her that would lead her to believe that we were…a couple."

"You didn't have to. Mom's a romantic…she takes every little nice gesture and reads too much into it. Don't worry…I'm not like that…I know what you did was just a friendly gesture."

But it wasn't **_just _**a friendly gesture. Linka really wanted to do something special for Wheeler with special meaning behind it.

"And the necklace…was that just a friendly gesture?" She presses.

"You already know the answer to that question."

"Say it. Tell me. I have such a hard time reading you Wheeler. I never know when you are being serious or joking. I need to hear it."

"This is no joke Linka. I'm dead serious. Mom was right…there is someone special in my life, whether she believes it or not. And I wanted her to have my grandmother's necklace so she'd know how much she means to me. When my mom gave this to me to 'give to someone special,' there was no question, no doubt in my mind who I wanted to have it. The fact that it came from your homeland is just proof that you were meant to be the one that I gave it to."

"But…we are not…that is a big risk giving such a special gift…something that belongs in your family, to someone who has never given you any reason to believe that she would ever wise up and give into your advances."

Wheeler is encouraged by her words. Is she "wising up?" Is she "giving in" to his advances?

"She's not as good at hiding her feelings as she thinks! And just like my mom, I'm a little bit of a hopeless romantic…except I'm not hopeless…all I have is hope…and even if you can't return my feelings, you're still someone special to me, and I want you to have it…besides, it doesn't match anything I own."

She laughs at his joke, typical Wheeler; cracking jokes to hide the awkwardness caused by the openness of their conversation.

"Ah, but you are forgetting…it matches your eyes!" She jokes in return. Then her mood turns serious as she stops their walk so he can see the sincerity in her eyes in case it doesn't come through in her voice. "You **_are_** special to me Wheeler. And you mean more to me than any other boy ever has. I am sorry if I have not been as open about that as you have been. But obviously you have seen through me enough to never give up. I am lucky for that…and grateful for your patience. I know you are not a patient person."

"Someone once told me that some things are worth waiting for," he says.

"That is a very smart 'someone,'" she replies.

"Well, the next time I see your grandma, I'll be sure to tell her you said so!"

"Grandma told you that?!"

"Yep."

"I guess she is also a hopeless romantic like you and your mother."

"And she didn't pass that along to you?" He asks.

"Nyet," she says sadly as she turns and heads back in the direction from where they came.

He hurries to catch up to her and walk beside her.

"But don't you want to be? Don't you want to know what it's like to be in love?"

"I do know what it is like…I just told you that you mean more to me than any other boy ever has. I have never felt for anyone what I feel for you…and it scares me to think that I could lose you."

"Hey," he says as he stops her. "You won't lose me. I'm not going anywhere. I've waited too long for you. I'm not gonna walk away after I've got you…assuming I get you."

"I know you would not…that is not what I meant," she says as she keeps walking, afraid that if she looks at him any longer, she'll start to cry. She takes a deep breath before continuing. "I have suffered so much heartache…so much loss. So many people that I loved have died…I could not bear to lose you."

"And I can't bear to live my life without you. I might as well be dead. If I live my life knowing that you feel the same way I do but nothing ever comes of it, I'll go crazy."

"And if I allow myself to love you and then lose you, **_I _**will go crazy," she says, stopping right outside of the commons room where their party was held.

"You can't think about the bad things that could happen…and probably WON'T happen. Think about all the good that could happen," he says as he pulls her to him and wraps his arms around her, resting his chin on top of her head. "Think about how happy we would be…think about spending every Christmas…every holiday together…think about some day giving that necklace to our daughter…'something blue' on her wedding day, or giving it to our son to give to 'someone special.' Think about it Linka…doesn't that sound nice?"

"Da…it sounds perfect," she says as she wraps her arms around his waist and buries her face in his chest.

"You don't have to give me an answer now…just promise me you'll think about it."

"I do think about it, Wheeler. It is all I think about," she says sadly as she disentangles herself from his arms and goes inside, leaving him standing there alone and speechless.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	4. Please Have Snow And Mistletoe

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I apologize for any mistakes. While a glass of Sangria with dinner followed by two shots of Wild Turkey for dessert seemed like a good idea at the time...things are looking a little fuzzy right now! Good thing the chapter is already written...it's only the editing that's going to suffer!

* * *

_Please Have Snow and Mistletoe_

The others have completely cleaned up their mess. All the food has been put away and the dishes washed. Wheeler is sitting on the couch in the dark, the only light coming from the TV, which is still playing the image of the fake Yule Log. He has no idea where Linka is, but he's assuming she went to bed after their conversation on the beach. He was torn about whether or not to follow her, but he figured the best thing would be to let her be alone and not pressure her. He's so lost in thought, he doesn't even hear the footsteps coming up behind him and jumps when a steaming mug of hot chocolate appears over his shoulder.

"With a triple shot of Peppermint Schnapps…it is getting cold out there!" Linka says.

"Weird. Thanks," he says as he takes a sip. "Whoa! You sure there's only three shots in here?"

"Give or take…mostly give. It is three Russian shots. We measure a _liiiiiiitle_ bit longer than most," she says, sitting next to him and leaning into his side.

"What about yours? Or am I the only one at this party?"

"Mine is a quadruple!" She says as she clinks her mug against his. "Hopefully it'll help warm me up."

"Well, you _**are**_ wearing shorts."

"Well, this _**is**_ a tropical island!"

He reaches around behind her, pulling the blanket off the back of the couch and wrapping it around them, leaving his arm around her to draw her against him to help keep her warm.

"Better?"

"Da. Spasiba," she says as she snuggles into him.

"You're welcome."

They sat there in silence, sipping their hot chocolate. Once they finished, Wheeler took her mug and set both of their empty drinks on the table in front of the couch. Linka lifts her head up off his chest and looks at the ceiling.

"No mistletoe above the couch? Very poor planning on your part Yankee!"

He looks up and sighs.

"I had it there…that was the piece that Suchi took down and tried to eat."

"Oh, you mean this piece?" She asks as she reaches into her vest pocket and pulls it out.

"Yeah, that's the one."

Linka raises her arm and holds the sprig of mistletoe over her head and smiles at Wheeler. His eyes widen and he smiles back at her. He looks up, then all around, checking to make sure there will be no surprise interruptions, making Linka giggle. Once he sees that the coast is clear, he leans in and softly presses his lips to hers.

She pulls back and he slowly opens his eyes, slightly disappointed that it was over. His disappointment is short lived though when he sees that Linka is now holding the amorous plant above him and is quickly closing the distance between them. The moment their lips meet is much like it was when Wheeler kissed her, but soon, she tilts her head and parts her lips, taking his lips between hers. This by far, the most passionate kiss they've ever shared, but once again, she pulls away, leaving Wheeler wanting more.

"Did you get everything you wanted this year Yankee?" She asks again, repeating the question that she posed to him earlier when they started their walk on the beach.

"I did now."

"I though you said you wanted snow," she teases.

"I changed my mind," he says with a smile.

"Wheeler?" She asks, suddenly serious.

"Hmm?" He asks, suddenly concerned.

She places one hand on his cheek and looks into his eyes.

"You asked me to think about what could be...and I did. I thought about all the regrets I would have if I never knew what it was like to be with you. I do not want to worry about losing you when I should be more concerned about never having the chance to show you how much you've meant to me all these years. I do not want to use mistletoe as an excuse to kiss you or for you to kiss me. I want us to be able to kiss whenever we want for whatever reason, or for no reason other than just because," she says as she tosses the mistletoe aside and places her free hand on his other cheek and pulls him towards her.

For the third time in two minutes, Wheeler and Linka are kissing, this time with no mistletoe. This time, it's real. She's holding him to her with no intentions of pulling away anytime soon. Her hands have made their way to the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair as their kiss continues, deepening as he pulls her against him, and rubs his hands up and down her back. Eventually, her shirt becomes untucked and he lets his hands venture underneath, skimming up her sides, his thumbs brushing against the underside of her breasts with each pass.

She lays back, pulling him down on top of her, locking her legs around his to hold him to her. Their exploration of each other continues, the things that his lips are doing to her neck are leaving her breathless, his roaming hand now trailing up and down her leg, both of them grateful that she left her shorts on despite the sudden drop in temperature outside.

The cold is the last thing on their minds. His hands, his lips, leaving a trail of fire everywhere they touch; a warmth that she can feel spreading through her body. A warmth that quickly disappears when he pulls away.

"What is wrong?" She asks as she sits up.

"Nothing. But if I don't stop, I won't be able to."

"Then don't," she says as she straddles his lap and rests her arms around his neck, playing with the sprigs of hair at the nape of his neck.

He leans his forehead against hers.

"I don't want to…believe me. But we can't do this here. Not when there's a chance of someone walking in…and not when I've never even taken you on a date. It's what you deserve."

She shakes her head.

"I do not deserve you. You have waited so long already…and now you are willing to wait longer for me…because you think it is right. But Wheeler, we have been on a million first dates…as far as I am concerned, from the very beginning, I knew that one day you would be the one. This is that day. Let us go. Take me to my room. Whether tonight is the night we see how far this will go or not…or whether we just sleep, I want to fall asleep in your arms. I want to wake up with you beside me."

Wheeler stands up, bringing her with him. She wraps her legs around his waist and brings her lips down to meet his. He walks them out of the commons room and towards her cabin, his face buried in the crook of her neck as he purses his lips against her soft skin, nipping and nuzzling his way up to her ear. It's not until they reach her door that he sets her down, but only so he can have a free hand to open the door with. Even then, he forgets about opening the door as he presses her between his body and the wall of her cabin. His attention still focused on her neck, dipping below the collar of her shirt to sweep across her chest and up the other side of her neck.

She is enjoying every second of it and in no hurry for him to stop. She throws her head back, giving him more access and looks up to the skies. She gasps, partly because of what he's doing, and partly because of what she sees.

Hating to pull his attention away from her, but wanting him to see what she saw, she says,

"Wheeler…look."

"Hmm?" He mumbles against her neck.

"It is snowing!"

"What?!" He asks in shock as he pulls away and looks up. "Whoa…Something tells me Gaia is behind this. I guess I did get everything I wanted this year."

"Me too," she says, putting her arm around him. "Tomorrow night is going to be amazing…almost as amazing as tonight."

She reaches behind her and opens the door, taking his hand and pulling him into her room. She leads him over to her bed and sits him down, standing between his legs. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls him towards her for a hug, pressing his cheek against her chest. She holds him to her and rests her head on his, kissing the top of it affectionately.

After few minutes later, he looks up at her and asks,

"Is this really happening? Am I really here, or is this all a dream?"

She takes his face in her hands and brushes her thumbs over his cheeks.

"It is real Lyubov moy. Very real," she says as she leans down and brings their lips together once more.

Once again, his hands begin roaming over her body and hers over his. She reaches for his partially untucked shirt and pulls it the rest of the way out so that she can drag his shirt up and over his head, giving her eyes and her hands full access to his well toned body. He stands up in front of her, reaches for her shirt, and tugs. When she doesn't object, he lifts it over her head and then begins kissing her now exposed skin, over the edge of her bra, down between her breasts and across her stomach. She giggles and pulls him back up to kiss her.

"That tickled," she whispers against his lips.

"I figured it would...that's why I did it," he replies.

She responds by poking her fingers into his sides, causing him to pull back and fall onto her bed, bringing her down on top of him. He then rolls her over so that she's pinned beneath him.

"Are you tired?" He asks.

"Da...but I am not ready to sleep," she says, hinting that she would like them to continue whatever it is that they are doing.

"You'll tell me if you're not comfortable, right? If you wanna stop, it's ok."

"I know. I trust you. And I do not want you to stop...ever," she says as she raises up to kiss him.

"'Dear Santa, it's all I want for Christmas. I've been nice all year…now I wanna be naughty!"

And they were naughty...but it was oh so nice!

The End!

* * *

Merry Christmas to all! And if you can't be good, at least be careful!


End file.
